HIV/Aids is no longer the leading cause of death for people in Africa, new statistics reveal. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) most recent data show that the crippling illness is now the second killer in Africans. There were an estimated 760 000 deaths from HIV/Aids in 2015, showing a marked drop from the 1 million deaths in 2010. Although fewer people are dying from the disease, experts say the number is still too high considering preventive methods and education efforts have improved.
Lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, are now the most deadly disease on the continent.
Third on the list are diarrhoeal diseases, which are caused by viral, bacterial or parasitic infections in the bowels. This is also the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five worldwide as well as in Africa, according to the WHO. These infections are caused by dirty and unsafe water, poor hygiene and bad sanitation in areas where people live and eat.
Fourth on the list are strokes. The number of people dying from a stroke has increased since 2010.
Heart attacks are fifth on the list and have pushed malaria out of the top five for the first time in years.
Most of the above-mentioned diseases are preventable with sufficient funding and access to better care. Countries in Africa, though, continue to be plagued by poverty, which has affected people’s ability to get the care needed to treat these diseases.
No comments:
Post a Comment